Scarred Angels
by Fayre Eternity
Summary: A mute girl appears in Ishval, heavily scarred and holding a baby. Scar's family takes her in... until the war begins. Years later, the same girl appears to Scar. Who is she, and what does her dark, sinister past hold? What sorrow and secret hides behind those rainbow eyes? *Not abandoned, thinking of rewriting*
1. Chapter 1

A/U: Scar fanfic *Drools*! I don't know if I'll continue with this one, it's a pretty cute one shot. A few notes, don't care that Ishvala's prolly a dude, if I continue with this he needs to be a she. Also, this is starting BEFORE the Ishval extermination. Several years before. Finally, enjoy. Reviews are apreciated and necessary (I'll hunt you down if you don't!)

A young Ishvalan man wandered into the moonlit desert. His footsteps were deliberate and fast-paced, wanting to keep up his body heat in the night. The man never wandered too far, just so that his hometown was barely in sight. He liked silence and serenity when he trained. Sometimes, he would simply enjoy this silence. Always, he would train to better himself in hopes of serving his Goddess and bretheren as a warrior monk. Ishvala granted all of her children life, purpose, and soul. Souls that were contained in their names. To honor his name, this young man would become a guardian to those of his red-eyed brothers who could not protect themselves.

Tonight, though, his mind was plagued with thoughts other than of his Goddess. He had recently overheard his brother purchasing books from a Xingese merchant on Xingese alkehestry. Alkehestry, another name for alchemy! Such crimes against their Eternal Mother were banned for a reason. His brother stated that it was purely curiousity, but no. These things were meant to be left be. Soon his brother would begin speaking of the uses of alchemy, soon he would begin experimenting in it, saying that he could improve Ishvala's creations. Why changes something as simple and pure as water? Life itself and all things around us are just like water. Pure. Simple. Yet so very necessary. Why can Brother not see that?

Slowly, he began to vent his frustrations through training. As he stretched in preparation, he observed the stars. It was said that when Angels died, they became stars. Angels, Ishvala's servants, sent here to watch over her children. So many stars littered the sky, the man wondered just how many stars were up there. How many souls were lost protecting us? How many more would be lost? The young man chuckled softly. He put too much thought into words said. Angels were most likely just a myth. We were given what we needed by our Mother. Now it was up to us to use it to properly and survive on our own. Another reason why alchemy went against Ishvala.

The man began his training. First were push-ups. Already his arms were muscular and overly strong. In fact, most of his muscles were like that. There was always room to improve, though. Always the man strived to be better. After his arms began to burn with exhaustion, he layed his body into the sand for a short rest. Laughing, he observed the stars once more. A child's tale, perhaps, but nonetheless entertaining, and somehow comforting. His body was covered with sweat (Which picked up copeous amounts of sand), but he persisted. His abs pulled him up into a sitting position and the muscles in his backslowly lowered him down. With each sit-up, he caught a glimpse of the lanscape. The desert held nothing in the direction he was facing. Just endless sand. Where he sat, the ground was reasonably solid. As the desert expanded beyond the town, it slowly grew more unstable and held more sand. Dunes began to form several yards away from the young man. He viewed the landscape with satisfaction and ease. Nothing was there to distract him. All it brought him was peace. His stomach screamed for rest, but he went for more. Just one more, he told his sore body, then you can rest. When he sat up, he froze, instantly forgetting his pain. A small figure struggled across the dune. It stumbled forward and began to slip down the dune.

Immediately, the young man jumped into action. The person had fallen and appeared unable to get up. Perhaps it was an elderly person? Or a weary traveler, unaccustomed to the weather? Or….

An infants cry sounded out in the night. The young man approached a small, cloaked figure holding a baby wrapped in cloth. White hair spilled from the hood, but the obvious girl figure remained hidden. Taking a step closer, the man struggled for a view of her face. She recoiled in fear, pulling the child as far from him as possible.

The man stepped back. "I…. am not going to hurt you. Please, I just want to help." The girl did not move. "You do not believe me, do you?" She shook her head hesitantly. "That is fine, I guess. Do you mind sharing with me your name?" Not sure of whether she was an Ishvalan* or not, he asked this question cautiously.

She lifted her face and met her eyes with his. She was not Ishvalan. Her eyes shone with red, yes, but there were many more colors splayed out through her irises. Each time her head move slightly, the colors changed. The girl did not answer his question. Distrust and fear showed in her rainbow eyes. He decided to make the first move.

"I am called Angel."

Welp, that's that! Lemme know if you want more. I think I will, I had fun writing this. : )

*I decided that since Ishvalan's names are so important to them, they only tell them to people they deem trustworthy enough or whatever.

**Also, Scar/Angel may seem a lil off, but he hasn't killed anyone yet and hasn't watched innocent people be massacred, so I figured he be differentish. Hope I captured him enough.

Any reviews would be VERY welcome! :D


	2. Chapter 2: Scars

A/U: YAY! Special thanks to my dear Funsized-killjoy for both rekindling my author's fire AND for being the first to review! Everyone who reads my story should most definitely read her masterpiece: Alison and Scar. And also, I'm glad someone likes his name. That had worried me a little….

P.S. Added Funsized to my computers dictionary. Is so a word.

The girl stared at Angel with a blank expression. Distrust was no longer apparent, but she still gave nothing up. She met his stare, mouthing his name silently. Angel. Angel. Angel. She gave a small grin. Angel. The baby in her arms stirred and gave another rousing cry. Gently, she rocked her child to rest. She looked into his eyes and mouthed his name once more. Angel. Angel extended his hand to her. She eyed him suspiciously until deciding she had nothing to lose. She gingerly grabbed hold of his hand and hoisted herself up, careful to keep her baby tightly held. Angel thought: This girl is too young to be a mother, right? She certainly acted the part. Shaking his head, Angel led her off the dunes and towards his town. She hobbled slowly behind him. Her legs were obviously weary and she appeared malnourished. The Ishvalan man had to wonder why she even dared to venture in the desert with a baby. Perhaps he would ask later. For now, he needed to get her safely home.

Home. Angel hadn't thought of that. His family wouldn't be especially happy about him bringing a stray home from the desert. Two strays, actually, and one being a baby at that. Because he was in training to become a warrior monk, he had not yet moved out of his parent's home. Already he felt he was imposing. Maybe bringing home a young girl and a baby would not please his mother. Wait… oh. Yes, that would definitely rile his mother up. It's not like it was his or anything. The implications were still ironically….funny. Sort of.

Walking into town was an interesting experience. Though it was well past dusk, the city was still alive and bustling*. The market was still in business and would be for another hour. Children ran and played in the cool night air. Delicious scents of home cooked meals filled the air as women cooked tonight's and tomorrow's meals. Cool desert nights were perfect for all of the things too warm for the day's sun. Incidentally, daytime was too warm for wives to sit in doorways and gossip. When Angel and the "two strays" walked past, they stopped and stared (especially since the baby was now gurgling and giggling). Many people knew him and his family. They were well liked and well respected. What a strange sight they were, the serious, driven, promising young man leading a stumbling young outsider holding a baby. Feeling insecure under the women's eyes, the girl pulled close to Angel and hid behind his back. Angel did not know this girl and he was never very good with any sort of female or comforting them. He simply squeezed her hand and kept walking.

Angel turned down several familiar streets before reaching his own. The steps leading his home were with chattering wives just like the others. His mother stopped talking almost as soon as they turned on the street. She immediately marched down the steps and up to her son. Many people were now curiously staring at the odd trio. The young girl once again pulled close to Angel.

Angels' mother, Antalya, looked, if nothing else, confused. "Son, what…is this? Who is that?" The baby stirred and gave a faint cry. "Is that a baby?" Antalya looked to her son. "What did you do?" She knew her son to be a good child, but this, what was going on?  
"Mother, this is not how it appears. I found this child and her baby in the desert. They seem tired, sick." Angel looked squarely in his mother's eyes. "We must help them." They stared each other down, neither one budging. Antalya's stubborn streak had been passed down to both her son's.

Apparently, she had given them her kindness as well. "Bring her to the house. I have fresh bread baking and salted meat. She looks half starved. Come on, then!" Antalya led them up the steps and past her friends, asking them to excuse her and promising to explain later. The girl hugged herself and her baby as close to Angel as possible, like she was trying to disappear right into his back. Seems she doesn't care for people, thought Angel. He felt a little odd with her behind him. Of course, he wasn't about to deny her whatever security she gained from being near him. Protecting and caring for others who needed it was part of his duty both as an Ishvalan and as soon-to-be warrior monk. It almost felt nice to help her and provide protection.

Antalya set to work right away at making a meal for the girl and her son. Angel walked into the kitchen with the girl in tow. She was hesitant to relax in her new surroundings, but if this woman was trusted by the Angel, she should be able to trust her too, right? The girl did not wish to put her daughter in harm's way, but she really had no other choice than to trust in these people. Why did it have to be that she couldn't trust anyone anymore, she wondered. Why was she forced to flee across the mountains and the desert, just for the chance to live? She hoped she could find peace here.

Sitting comfortably at the table, the young mother began to nurse. Antalya was busy working and barely noticed, but Angel certainly did. Angel tried to hide his discomfort but failed miserably. His cheeks burned noticeably red and he had begun studying the ceiling with great interest. The girl noticed this and giggled softly. She had no qualms with feeding her child in front of others. In fact, it was common practice for many women in Ishvalan, though that fact did not make it any less unsettling for Angel. He abruptly stood from the table and left from the room, mumbling something about finding Big Brother. The baby burped as she ate.

Angel had set out to search for his brother, but it was a very half-hearted search. The market was closing up and its merchant's were heading for their homes or hotels. Children were being called into the home by their mothers, who were now finished with gossip and serving dinner. His brother, Ira, was most likely in his "study", the once abandoned building on the edge of town he basically lived in. He had taken up his sinful studies of alchemy in that place a few months ago and often failed to come home from his work. Still, Angel did not go to that place. He never went to that place unless absolutely necessary. Angel resented alchemy now more than ever because it was tainting his brother. Each day it took him further away from his family. Ira rarely frequented his old home, where most of his clothes and possessions still resided. Alchemy took Angel's brother away from him, his family, and their Goddess. Angel wondered if Ishvala would forgive his brother for betraying her.

Angel returned to the house to find his mother readying some burn cream. "Poor girl's of fair skin. Obviously not from around here. She burned pretty good," She said as she squeezed out the aloe plant. "She's awfully hungry too. I fed her though." Angel went to get more ingredients for the burn cream. It wasn't the first time they had fixed a traveler's sunburns. "The babe's fine, though. Perhaps a little overheated, but that girl kept her out of the sun and well fed." At this, Angel became quite uncomfortable. His mother didn't notice.

Antalya's face became serious. She stopped working, staring at the sink in thought. "You don't think…that baby…" Angel knew what his mother was asking. He slowly nodded. Picking up her concoction, Antalya left the room with a broken expression. Her son slumped into a chair and thought through his night. Who could this girl be? She hadn't spoken a word since he had found her. The girl had good reason, it seemed. A girl her age was far too young to be a parent. Angel himself was still not at an acceptable age to have a child, and he was most likely several years older than her. What trauma had she been through?

A horrified cry sounded from his the bath room. Angel rushed to the room, heart pounding at the possibilities. What he found was better than he had imagined but at the same time worse. The girl was standing in front of the tub, which was partially filled with water. She was wearing only her panties and her bra, but Angel hardly noticed. He and his mother were staring in horror at the scars that covered her body. Bruises old and reasonably new covered her torso, along with a few old cuts littered her body. On her chest, the word _**MINE**_ was carved in deeply. Every inch of her was scarred, which was horrible enough, but what kind of monster would brand a young girl? Perhaps the same monster that would rape her.

A/U: Gah, sorry if it's a dark and depressing and sad! This will be the last dark stuff for a lil bit (till the war starts…) But it will get better after then. Sorry about Scar's brother and mom's names. Had no idea what to give them, so I wrote some sort of jarble and the computer corrected it as Antalya (Which is apparently a big city). Ira was just the first thing I thought of. It's actually an acronym for a lot of stuf , like the Irish Republic Army. Whatevs, hope you enjoyed

*I kind of based their meal times off of Mexican culture and meal times. I figured it made sense cuz both places are pretty darn hot and cooking and work aren't so fun during the day.


	3. Chapter 3: Flowers

A/U: Well, I see that there have been 45 views to my dear fanfic. Yet only 2 reviews, and from the same person? Gentlemen, ladies, readers, feel ashamed. You break my heart. Start reviewing NOW! Please. I may just cry if you don't. Thank you to Funsized once more for reviewing and being awesome! Oh, and a name for "the girl" in this chapter! I'm sick of saying she and the girl all the time.

The girl stepped back. Her arms shot up not to cover her nearly naked body, but to cover her scars. She didn't want her new "friends" to see her old scars. Her scars were her link to her past and that was NOT where she wanted to go.

Angel eyed her with great horror and sorrow showing in her eyes. He clenched his fist so tight they turned ghostly white. "Who did this to you?" The girl looked away. "Who are you running from?" She began to cry.

"Darling, we can't help you if you do not tell us what happened to you," Antalya said as she wrapped her arm around the girl. "Do you want to talk about it?" The girl opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She began to cry. "All right, we'll leave it at that for now. Right now, we need to clean you up, tend to your burns, and get you some sleep!" Antalya ushered her son out and helped the girl into the bath.

When Angel entered the kitchen, he found his father wolfing down his dinner. When Delvan saw his son and the tears forming at the rim of his eyes, he knew something was wrong. He stood from the table and grabbed his son by the shoulders. "What has you so bothered, my son?" Delvan asked with more sensitivity than he usually showed.

Angel blinked, and for the first time since he was seven, tears streamed down his face in front of someone. "Father…" Angel shook his head. "My problem is that this world is filled with rotten hearts and sick minds. Why does Ishvala not protect her children from harm?" Angel shrugged off his father and sat down at the table. Delvan studied his son for a moment. In that instance, the baby cried. Delvan jumped so high he hit his head (It wasn't very high, he was very tall). Angel calmly followed his father from the kitchen as Delvan raced for his bedroom. Antalya had made a make-shift bed for the baby out of pillows and blankets on her bed. The baby shook his fists and cried, his face red with tears. A horrid odor wafted to the doorway where Delvan and Angel stood.

The girl heard her child's cries from the bathroom and tried to jump out of her bubbly bath. Antalya stopped her though, telling her to relax and that she needed her rest. "Angel, son, please check on the baby and make sure she's okay. Delvan, try not to freak out." She went back to covering the girl's back with aloe cream.

Delvan stared at the baby, then stared at his son. Angel stared at his father. Neither wanted to change the baby's diaper. She protested this quite loudly. Seeing as his father was still in shock at seeing his son cry and then finding a baby, Angel made for the bed. Angel told his father that he would take care of it and Delvan immediately left, saying "I need a drink." Upon reaching the bed, Angel smelled just how direly the diaper needed changing. Now he knew why the baby was creating such a fuss. Angel searched the house for something to use as a diaper. He reappeared with two old rags, one for the baby's bum and one tied around his face to guard against the odor. Changing a diaper was tougher than he thought. Making a mess on the bed (Which he neglected to tell his father about), the serious, terrifying to some, Ishvalan man changed the girl's diaper. She giggled at Angel the whole time. He had thought he would scare the child, but apparently not. Angel picked up the baby and held her in his arms, readjusting multiple times to make sure he held her right. The baby enjoyed hearing his heartbeat and feeling his warmth. Slowly, she shut her eyes and her breath deepened. Not knowing what to do, Angel rocked the child gently in his arms. He began humming a song his mother once sang to him when he was young. The child was quite beautiful, like her mother. Her eyes shimmered rainbow, like her mother. Unlike her mother, the girl's hair was curly and strawberry blonde. She must get it from her… father.

Angel closed his eyes to keep from crying, but when he did that he saw her scars again. He had never seen such gruesome scars before. Some day he would be a warrior monk and be able to protect innocent people from such tainted souls. As much as that should have comforted him, it did nothing. He knew he would never be able to take back what had happened to that lovely young girl. Then he realized: he could protect her daughter. The man opened his eyes and stared down at the babe in his arms.

"I promise you, I swear to you, I swear to Ishvala herself, I will do everything I can protect you. I won't let anything happen to you; I won't let any man hurt you like your mommy was hurt. I shall protect her too, so that she can be here to care for you and love you." Angel looked down at the child, feeling confused. What just came out of his mouth? What was he thinking? He could not promise that to her or anyone. And the fact that he swore all of this to an infant too young to comprehend his words was ridiculous. Yet still, he felt it was his obligation to help these two. After laying down the baby, he turned to leave. The girl was standing in the doorway. "How long have you been standing there?" She stared at him with wide eyes. Then, she grinned. Angel stared back with even wider eyes. "Did you hear what I just said?" She nodded.

They stared at each other for some time before Antalya walked in. "What's going on in here?" Antalya found the two still staring at each other, unblinking. "Is everything… you know what? I don't care." She walked past them and checked on the baby. Seeing that the baby was sleeping, she walked back out. The girl started to follow her. She stopped and looked back at Angel. Angel. She mouths his name again and motions for him to follow. He smiles and does.

An Ishvalan family sat at the table eating breakfast. An Ishvalan family plus a foreign girl and her baby. This morning, the family was also joined by an extra member that was not seen around the house much anymore. Ira ate in silence next to his brother who was equally silent. The girl did not mind this, seeing as how she could never find the words to speak. Her baby sat in her lap while she ladled oatmeal into her mouth. The baby gummed the food with bubbly delight.

Ira watched the two strangers in fascination. "Young lady, may I have your name?" Everyone stopped eating (Except the baby, who started spitting bubbles and oatmeal). None of them knew her name either. She stared at Ira with shock as if that was the oddest thing to say.

"Ira, she hasn't actually said a word yet," Antalya explained. Ira stared at the girl.

"Oh, I apologize. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I was just wondering…" He trailed off, feeling like he had just eaten his foot. The girl gave a small smile and returned to wiping off her baby's oatmeal covered mouth.

Angel wiped his mouth and stood from the table. "I must speak with Master Ronta about my future with the church." He said under his breath, "Because I still have a future with the church." Ira still heard him. With a sigh, Ira stood from the table and left. He knew better than to argue with his brother about alchemy and Ishvala. Delvan just shook his head and continued eating. Angel began his journey to the church. Before he reached the end of the street, he realized he had two shadows. The young girl was following close behind. For once she was not with her baby. Angel shrugged and continued his walk. As the streets got more crowded, Angel felt a small, feminine had slip into his.

The church stood watch over the town square where the majority of the market did business. Vendors shouted out their wares. Shoppers searched and stared. Everything and everyone was crammed together. The girl pulled herself as close as possible to Angel. Reluctantly, he pulled his arm from her. She gasped and began to hyperventilate.

Angel put his arm around her and pulled her close.

Oh. The girl had thought he was pulling away from her, but he wasn't. She looked up at his face. Angel stared straight ahead, navigating the crowd. He felt her gaze and looked down. Red flushed through her face. She had just noticed how attractive he was.

Great marble steps led to the church. Climbing up those stairs in the heat was difficult for the girl, but she pressed on. This church was important to the Angel. She decided that she should go with him and support him because he had done so much for her. Plus, she was curious about Ishvala. She had never known anything outside of her "home", and she intended to learn about the outside world as much as she could. Antalya had promised to care for her daughter and she believed her. That woman was nice to her. The Angel trusted her as well and that was enough for the girl. She trusted the Angel.

At the top of those grand stairs was a beautiful tribute to the Goddess Ishvala and all the life she created. Ishvalans worshipped in this glorious place made entirely of marble. A large monument to Ishvala stood dead in the center. The girl stared in awe at the great statue before her. A beautiful woman with hair down to her ankles stood with her arms spread wide, looking towards the sun. A skylight was made right above her head so that she could see the sky. Sun poured down on her and the great wings that spread out behind her. She looked an awful lot like the girl.

Now the girl understood.

Angel watched the girl with slight amusement as she stared mouth agape at Ishvala. The girl resembled the Goddess somewhat. She lifted her finger to point out something to him. Following her finger, Angel was surprised to find that she was pointing at one of the many flowers that wrapped around the statue. Irises. Irises were the symbol of Ishvala. Children would say that the iris was Ishvala's favorite flower. Angel often wondered if that was true.

The girl looked up at Angel, still pointing at the flower. Then she pointed at herself. Angel watched in confusion for a moment while she repeated this until he understood.

"Your name is Iris?" The girl, Iris, grinned.

A/U: :D No more nameless girl. My chapters are getting progressively longer, huh? And I got this chapter done earlier than the last two! Well, someone other than Funsized should review (because we all know she will!). PLEASE! Let me know there is other intelligent life on this website other than me and Funsized! Constructive criticism, a good job, or random, incoherent letters garbled together. Please just say something.

P.S. Check out my Deviantart! The author of A Twist Called Valica Quem asked me to draw Valica for her (Excellent Harry Potter fanfic)! I'M SO HONORED TO BE DOING THIS! Happy dance!


	4. Chapter 4: Tears

Gah, I'm so tired. It's currently 5:01AM. I am very tired (stayed up all night hoping for REVIEWS on the last chapter). I won't attempt to write in this state, just get my A/U out and request some freaking REVIEWS! Please 3

Master Ronta watched Angel smiling down at a girl he had never seen before. Yet he saw her every day. The young girl looked just like the Goddess Ishvala. She also seemed to be attracted to the irises, which were Ishvala's favorite flower, or so the children said. Angel gave her a genuine smile as she pointed to the holy flowers. Ronta gave his own smile as the pair made their way into the church. The Ishvalan holy man had not seen his favorite pupil smile so since he was just a young child. Back then, he looked up to his big brother, following him everywhere. Angel had always been a serious child but he still enjoyed playing as much as the other children. Now those children were growing up and becoming adults. They enjoyed alcohol and each other. Many of them were moving into their own homes and starting their own lives. Angel was following a religious path that barred him from such frivilous things. Ronta knew he would do well. The man just wished he would enjoy himself some before he started his serious training. Perhaps this girl could help him see the world differently, and see that he didn't need that stick jammed so far up his butt.

Angel and Iris walked together in silent enjoyment of the church and each other. Now that the girl had a name Angel felt a little more at ease with her, like they were now friends of sorts. He could see that being around people bothered her, but she never held back around him. Iris bounded ahead of Angel to get a closer look at the statue.

As Iris studied the statue, a man walked up next to her. "The Goddess Ishvala. A beautiful sight, yes?" She had not seen him approach her, so when he spoke she jumped a foot in the air and made a small squeal. Iris backed away from the man with a look of suspicion and fear in her eyes. Angel appeared behind, placing his hands on her shoulders. She started but soon relaxed when she noticed it was Angel. "Hello, Angel. I am sorry; I didn't mean to frighten your friend." He looked to Iris and smiled. "Who is this young girl? You two seem close." Iris grinned and looked up at Angel (Who was still holding her). Angel sighed, trying to figure out how he was going to go about this.

"Master, I found this girl in the desert. With _her _daughter." Master Ronta's face darkened. "Her body is covered in scars and bruises." Now Iris's face was veiled in sorrow. She was feeling increasingly uncomfortable with this conversation. Ronta was avoiding her eyes, looking everywhere but at her. Both of them were feeling pity for her. Iris didn't want them pitying her, looking at her with such sad eyes. She didn't want them looking at her at all. She just wanted to be normal. The scarred girl looked up at the Angel and into his blazing red eyes. Pity was swimming through them. Iris pulled away from Angel and ran.

Iris could hear the Angel running after her. She didn't want him looking at her. He was so nice, he had a nice life, his body wasn't blemished by bruises and scars. He was clean, normal. She knew she could never be that way. Pity wasn't going to change the way she was. Tainted. Dirty. Broken.

Angel immediately ran after Iris. He had no idea where she was planning to go with all those people around. There was no way to get back without going through the market. She wasn't going to be able to get through there alone. Angel had to get to her before she got lost alone.

A sea of people splayed out before Iris. She didn't think she could swim alone, but she dove in anyways. Almost instantly her head went under. People surrounded her on every side and she could see no way out. She was lost. Turning herself around and around, Iris searched for a familiar face. No one was there. Each face blurred together in a mess. Everything was spinning. She felt like she was going to throw up. Where was the Angel? Iris wanted him to be there, to swoop in and save her, but she didn't want to see her so sick and afraid. Faces all around her were turning to her, perhaps looking to help, but she didn't know them and she didn't want to. She couldn't handle it any more. Iris sat down and began to cry.

People were beginning to crowd around some scene occurring. Angel had a good idea as to what it was. Pushing people aside (For which he got several rude comments), Angel mad his way to the center of the crowd. Iris sat there, rocking on the balls of her feet, crying silently. A man was reaching out to Iris in an attempt to comfort her. She screamed so loud the grown man jumped back in fright. Tears streamed down her face as she fell to the ground. Her head turned every which way, searching for a way out. Two strong arms wrapped around her from behind. Angel pulled her to him as she slowly calmed. The crowd around them slowly dispersed, but Angel didn't let Iris go. They sat on the ground together as she cried silently into his shoulder. The pair did not move until the vendor whose booth they were blocking shooed them off.

Antalya stood in the doorway waiting for her son and house guest. It was getting late in the afternoon and she had lunch sitting out for them. Her son was not one to talk too much, even when he didn't have a reason to get home. Today the girl had left without her child which had shocked Antalya. However, she had seen it as a good opportunity for the girl to get out and spend some time trying to be normal. The two of them had been gone for hours and that young girl should have been back for her baby. Even that babe knew something was wrong. She had been crying for near forty minutes now. Antalya had fed her, changed her, bathed her, and even tried playing with her. Nothing. That child was not going to settle for any less than Mommy.

Apparently she didn't have to wait. Well, she could see her mommy, but it didn't seem like she would be playing with her. Antalya rushed down the dirt road past playing children. Her son walked around the corner carrying the young girl in his arms. Her eyes were clearly red and puffy.

"Oh goodness, what has happened?"Antalya asked worriedly as she ran to Angel. "Son, what happened to that poor girl? I thought you were watching out for her, oh!" Angel

Angel shook his head at his mother. "She is fine. There was an… incident, but she is all right." Angel looked down at her. "I kept her safe, Mother." Iris looked up at Antalya and gave a weary smile. She yawned. Angel gave a small laugh. "I guess crying makes Iris sleepy."

"Iris?" Antalya stared at them.

Angel looked down at the girl in his arms. "Iris." With that, he carried Iris into the house. He carried her to the second floor where she was staying in Ira's old room. The baby was lying on the bed crying, but immediately stopped when she saw her mother. Angel laid Iris down next to her daughter. Iris pulled the baby to her, her eyes drooping. "Enjoy your nap, Iris, Baby." Before Angel could leave the room, he heard a small, sweet voice.

Iris formed the word on her lips and pushed the sound out. "Annette." That one word was so hard to push out, she felt like her body was too weak to breath. Angel turned to her, looking like he wasn't sure she had spoken.

"Goodnight, baby Annette." Angel left to return to the church.

The master and his student sat cross legged in at a low table, discussing Iris. Master Ronta apologized ceaselessly for scaring the girl off. Angel just shook his head. "She is fine. If anything, she is better than before." Ronta looked at his pupil in confusion. "She spoke to me today for the first time. Just one word."

Ronta chuckled. "Oh, and what was that?"

"Her baby's name, Annette." Ronta stared at Angel now with less confusion and more sorrow.

Master Ronta gazed at the statue of his Goddess in thought before speaking. "This girl has suffered greatly." He turned back to Angel. "It is up to you now to protect her. I think…" Ronta trailed off, not knowing how to say he words that needed to be said. "I think you are needed by this girl more than by the church at this time." Angel's face turned from a blank mask to serious and angered.

"Are you saying I should post pone my desert trial?"

Ronta nodded. "Yes, I believe you should. This girl obviously has a bond with you if she would open up and speak to you. Angel, she needs you more than the church does." Angel began to protest, but Ronta held up a hand to cut him off. "Angel." Ronta looked Angel square in the eyes and asked him a question that threw him utterly off balance. "What does this girl mean to you?"Angel stared at his master several minutes, trying to uncover the meaning of his question. When he didn't answer, Ronta spoke. "I watched you two today as you entered this church. I watched young Iris's reaction to everything she was seeing, and I saw your reaction to her. You smiled so brightly I was unsure it was really you. She only just came into your life, yet she is already someone very important to you." Angel stared at his master, shocked. He realized what the man was saying was true. "I saw the terror on your face as you ran after her today. I also saw the way you held her in the market." Angel looked down, knowing that he could not argue the wise old man. "Go to her now, Angel. Stay with her, don't even train tonight. Just stay by her side. See how she reacts." Master Ronta paused. "You will not be taking the desert trial this year. You are young. You can wait."

Angel stood and bowed to his master. Before he left, he bowed to the statue of Ishvala, now bathed in blue moonlight.

Well then, review please! Thank you to Funsized(As always), bleachlover202, and kodokuna13. You guys made my day!

( After I finished the first page of this, I was like break time! While I was riding my bike, I started narrating my thoughts and actions and what I saw, like I was writing it! GAH! Hate it when that happens…) P.S. Desert trials will be explained later.


	5. Chapter 5: Swans

Btw, Angel isn't a pedo or anything. He's like 16-17 and shes like13-14. Not a pedo. Also, I love you all. Review, please! (I feel like a terrible person watching Archer x Kimblee yaoi music vids as I write a Scar fanfic…) Also, thanks to Funsized and the guest reviewer. You guys make me happy!

Angel found Iris waiting for him on the front steps. Annette was in her arms, falling back to sleep after crying again. Seeing the baby's red face slowly calm made the Ishvalan man smile slightly. "Apparently the nap ended early," Angel said. Though it was a joke, his voice still held its serious tone. Iris smiled down at her baby. Every time she saw her daughter she beamed rays of sunshine. Angel was trying to understand why that same light threatened to break out of him when he saw her smile.

Antalya came out to announce that the pie was done. The mother's pies were very rare (Because she had no daughters to help), and were even more delicious. Now that she had Iris around she decided to bake plenty, both to feed the masses and to enjoy doing something with her new "daughter". Angel walked in to find the table already set for one two three four…. Five. Ira sat next his father on one side and Antalya sat across from him. They all dug into their delicious pie as Angel stared at his brother. Iris saw the anger and distrust in Angel's eyes. So, she sat next to Ira. Both brothers looked at her suspiciously. Annette was awoken by the sounds and smells. Seeing food, she instantly began reaching for it. Her mother swiped up some berry pie filling with her finger and allowed Annette to suck it off. Everyone but Angel and Delvan watched in fascination as the baby continued the ritual. A high pitched declaration of cuteness came from Antalya. Ira laughed both at the adorable baby and at the sound his mother made. Delvan shook his head but gave the slightest smile. The pie was just sweet enough to satisfy the sensitive palate of the babe, but just tart enough to give Delvan something to enjoy. Once Angel finally sat down to the table and ate, it was an enjoyable meal in silence (Which annoyed Antalya profusely; She loved to talk).

Angel and Iris sat out on the steps once more. The baby had been laid down (hopefully) for the night. Next to them stood Ira, deep in thought.

"What are you doing?" Angel asked his brother with more anger than interest. Ira chuckled softly at his brother's anger.

Ira looked down at Iris. "I was debating whether or not to go to the Sun Festival tonight." Oh. Angel had forgotten about that. The Sun Festival was a dance around a great fire in the square in honor of the desert. Not that he ever went… "I was also thinking that it's no fun to go alone." He hopped down one step below Iris, raising his arm for her to take. "Would you care to accompany me, milady?" Iris was hesitant.

Angel answered before she could. "No, she does not like crowds." The two brothers stared each other down. The tension was steadily growing.

"I don't believe I was asking you, brother," Ira said, holding back his frustration. He turned to Iris once more. "Would you like to dance with me at the festival?" Iris was at odds. She actually loved to dance, and was good at it. However, she hated crowds as Angel had pointed out. Angel had also been spending a lot of time with her. She liked spending time with him.

Iris jumped up, knowing what to do. Angel growled, thinking she was leaving. She wasn't. The girl twirled around to face him, her new dress (Antalya made it for her) swishing about her. Motioning for Angel to join her, Iris stepped down from the stoop twirling.

Ira laughed. "You want to dance with him? I'm sorry, Iris, but all you'll get is sore feet!" Ira stepped in between Angel and Iris, offering his hand to the girl. "I'll dance with you here if you don't want to go to the festival." Ira smiled sweetly. He would love to dance tonight, but first he had to set up his brother with a dance partner. Both of them would enjoy dancing, but only if it was together. Of that, Ira was sure.

Angel stood and pushed Ira aside. "I will try." For you. He didn't say that of course, but he thought it. Iris smiled at him, and though he didn't see it, Ira did too.

Ira began to walk away. He turned his head, yelling back at them, "You won the girl this time, brother!" Laughing, he said, "Don't step on her toes too bad!" And with that he left.

Iris found all of this amusing, but Angel didn't. When Angel saw her chuckling at him his face turned angry. "I am not a good dancer. If you want a good dancer, go ask Ira!" Iris laughed harder and tried to lead him into a dance. He stumbled all over the place, not letting any sort of grace or charm flow through him. The two stumbled around the street in what looked like two mentally deranged animals in a courtship dance. Well, Iris had some grace about her steps but her partner was less than skilled. Angel began to pull away from Iris, trying to end what was supposedly a dance. He shook his head and began to walk back to the house. He could NOT dance. Two hands clamped around his, two hands that were becoming all too familiar.

"Please?" Iris squeaked out yet another word. Angel slowly turned around to dance with her again (He couldn't resist such a cute request). When he saw Iris he stopped dead. Tears were welling up in her eyes _again._

Angel sighed. "You will have to stop this crying. I am not very good with women… or crying." She giggled at this, wiping her eyes. The girl shook her head. Iris knew she was silly to cry again. It was just so taxing to speak. It made her feel vulnerable, like her soul spilled out with each word. There was a time when she would talk, even sing, but now…. It just hurt. Angel sighed and led her back into the streets. "If you want to dance, we better do this before the festival ends." They could hear the music all the way from the main square. The night sky glowed orange from the festival fire. "I am not dancing when people start coming back." Iris smiled. This time, instead of stumbling around aimlessly, Iris and Angel simply swayed and twirled. Iris's dress twirled around her as Angel spun her out and pulled her back to him. Antalya watched their still awkward (but getting better) dance from the doorway. She laughed at her son's missteps and lack of coordination. Just as she was beginning to enjoy herself, Annette cried out from upstairs.

Iris heard this and was about to run to her child when Antalya stepped out and told her to keep dancing. "I don't think I've ever seen Angel dance. Enjoy it, and try to teach that boy some grace." Angel gave his mother the look (You know the one, the look he always gives Yoki). Why must everyone criticize his dancing skills? It was not that funny.

The two danced awkwardly until they heard the music end and the boisterous crowds begin to disperse. They sat together and watched as tired, sweaty, drunk people, and the few tired, sweaty people still sober filed past on the neighboring street. It was rather comical. Parting the crowd, Ira turned down their street. He watched Iris and Angel with fascination as he approached the house.

"Iris, how are your feet feeling?" Ira asked. Once again, Angel gave the look. Iris put her thumb up as an a-okay. "Hm, then I assume you are a skilled dancer to be able to dodge his two left feet." Iris laughed and nodded. Angel was not happy. He stared at his brother in frustration (Which had been doing a lot recently). Then, he did the unexpected. He laughed. Ira stood in shock for a moment before laughing with him.

Antalya rushed from the kitchen to see if she was hearing this right. "Are you two laughing… together!" The two brothers laughed harder. "I haven't seen the two of you in such good blood for, well, a long time. What's gotten into you two?" Every word she said made them laugh more. They didn't know what was with them either. They just enjoyed laughing together.

Angel wanted desperately to go to the desert and train. This would be the first night in literally two years that he had not went to out to train. But, he had to be with Iris as his master had said. He still didn't quite understand everything that was going on (His own feelings, his master's words, what had happened to Iris). He wanted to go to the nearest quiet place and think.

Iris and Angel had been on the front stoop watching stragglers stumble home. Ira had left shortly after the laugh attack had struck. Angel stood from his spot next to Iris. "Follow me." Iris complied without hesitation. She followed the Ishvalan man to the second floor and into his room. Angel climbed into his window and disappeared onto the roof. Iris heard him call for her to follow. Climbing into the window carefully, Iris tried to see how on earth to get up there. A tan, muscular arm reached down to her, extending his hand. "Grab hold. I will lift you up." Hesitantly, Iris took his hand. She didn't care for the thought of falling two floors to the ground. Iris trusted him though. He hoisted her up with ease. On the roof, Iris found an amazing sight. In all directions, the view was beautiful. She could see the entire city in all directions and further. The desert sprawled out beyond the city, ever expanding. Dust blew up from the ground and into the sky. Above them, the sand blended into the millions of glistening stars. It was absolutely beautiful.

"Sometimes I come up here for the view. What do you think?" Iris turned to him with the biggest, brightest grin she could muster. Angel chuckled. He sat down and leaned back to observe the stars. Pictures drawn in the stars were always fascinating to Angel. When he was young he had wondered if the Angels had somehow intentionally formed those pictures when they died. He laughed as he thought back on those innocent days. Iris, lying next to him, stared in awe at those same stars. She outlined the star's drawings with her finger as she made stories for them. Wild horses charged across the sky, chasing a beautiful swan that flew just outside of their reach. The hunter took aim at the swan with his bow. Everyone wanted the swan. She had to fly far away just so that she could be in peace. Some place where she could watch the stars without having to watch her back. Just rest in a quiet, safe place. And now, she was.

Without warning, Angel began to speak. "Iris." The girl turned to look at him. He was thinking deeply. "Where you come from, do they believe in Angels?" Iris nodded. Angel continued to stare at the stars in thought. Then he smiled. Iris looked questioningly at him. The man smiled at her. "I was just wondering about something." He was wondering: When I die, will I become a star like the other Angels?

Sweet silence filled the cooling air. Iris shivered at the icy wind penetrating her skin. Angel asked if she wished to go inside, but she shook her head no. The air was cool but she didn't want to leave. It was nice up here with the Angel. She liked him a lot. Today had been fun, spending time with him all day, dancing, walking, talking. Well, listening to him talk. Well, he didn't talk much, but still. It was really nice. Iris looked at Angel, studying his face. He looked serious, deep in thought. Not kind of grumpy like he usually did. Just thoughtful. Then another wind blew chills across Iris. Involuntarily, she snuggled close to Angel. He looked down at her, momentarily ripped from his thoughts. She was shivering next to him but showed no sign that she wanted to leave the roof. Smiling, he put his arm around her. Iris stopped shivering. She also stopped breathing.

She's not dead, I know it sounds bad. Just nervous and blushy.

Thaaaank yoooou to all who reviewed and will review! I love you forever! This chapter was up WAY earlier than usual (It's 9. I usually post at like 3 AM). That means, to show your gratitude, you should REVIEW! Thanks and love!

I'll be busy soon, but that won't stop me from writing! :p


	6. Chapter 6: Emotions

Sorry to scare you on the last chapter. I was trying to show more of her nervous, damaged side by her being scared about him pulling her close (Also she's kind of like *Blush*). Then it hit me. AH! Ran back in, edited the chapter, left that note. It would have been a good time to die if I were planning to kill her off… but I'm not. Sorry. Enjoy the new chap, it's my longest yet!

000

Iris awoke with a start. Midday sunlight showered in through the window. The sounds of the city were almost inaudible over the baby's cries. Annette was blubbering next to her. How did she get here? When had she fallen asleep…? Oh. Now she remembered. Iris had fallen asleep in Angel's arms on the roof last night. She had been so nervous; it's odd that she had been able to sleep with her heart beating so. What really interested her was how Angel had been able to get her off the roof without waking her. Hm. Thoughts concerning last night bumbled through her head as she fed Annette.

Downstairs the day was already begun. Delvan had left for work already (He made furniture/ other wooden wares from imported woods), Angel was nowhere to be seen, and Antalya had left for the market to get fresh food. The only person in the house other than Iris and Annette was Ira. He sat at the table, eating a medley of whatever edible was left in the house. In front of him were various papers and books that he was studying.

Looking up from the table, Ira saw the young mother and her child. "Oh, hello. Are you hungry?" Iris wasn't sure what to make of Ira just yet. He was nice to her, but Angel didn't seem to get along with him. At the same time, they had gotten along last night. Iris nodded. The man got up to set the table for her. Pulling out her chair, Ira invited her to eat with him. "There's some salted meats, some vegetables, and there was a bit of fruit left. Help yourself to whatever you like." Iris slowly began to eat. Annette sat playing in her lap. Ira had to laugh at Annette and her cuteness. Though he had not even begun thinking about settling down he had always imagined himself as a father. He liked kids. Kids seemed to like him too.

Annette was no exception. As soon as Ira laughed, Annette really noticed him for the first time. He had something funny on his face and she had to know what! The little baby reached and grabbed for Ira. He assumed she wanted him to hold her (What can he say, he's great with kids). Iris was reluctant to hand over her baby to this man. She decided that if he had wanted to hurt them he would have by now. When Ira grabbed hold of the precocious baby, she ripped the glasses right off his face. The glasses were flailed around in the air like a plaything. Annette held complete power over the fully grown Ishvalan man. He could not see a thing without them.

As they played, Iris's curiosity was piqued by the documents Ira had been looking over. Important looking though they were, the documents were splayed out all over the table. Some had bits of food on them. The papers were written in multiple languages, some in Amestrian, some in Xingese, and even some in old Tressian*. Iris recognized these languages and read them fluently. There was information on alchemy in Amestrian, alkehestry in Xingese, these two fit together. It was the old Tressian papers that didn't fit. They held extensive information on religion. Now that she thought of it, there were old Ishvalan texts on some of these too. Old Ishvalan was similar to the old Tressian language. The Ishvalan text also detailed religion, only it was Ishvalan. Iris recognized details of her own religion in her own language. Tressian. However, there were similarities between the two. Iris knew this; she had just never realized the extent of the similarities. But what did alchemy and alkehestry have to do with this?

Iris pondered these questions in silent thought. "Can you read those, Iris?" Ira asked suddenly. The girl jumped in her chair, startled. She nodded. "How do you know Xingese? More importantly, the Tressian and the Ishvalan are very old languages. How do you know those?" She did not respond. Ira shook his head. "Fine then. So, did you find these papers interesting?" Iris nodded, pointing between the Ishvalan and Tressian texts. "Oh, yes, you noticed the similarities between these two, didn't you?" Iris began to point between the words she found similar. "Ishvala… and Reis?" Iris nodded. "Reis is the Goddess of Creation in Tressian. Ishvala is well, Ishvala, the Mother Goddess of All, basically the creator of all." Iris nodded. "These two titles were not the first similarity I noticed, nor the last." Annette was gumming on a piece of fruit, bored with the adults. "But this one sticks out the most. Ishvalan and Tressian religions differ greatly; Ishvala is the only god recognized by Ishvalan, while Tressian religion has thirteen gods in total. However, the Goddess of Creation and Ishvala share similar traits, titles, and, if I'm reading this right, they share physical traits." Iris was nodding excitedly, then pointed at her own eyes. "Your eyes are unusual. They are like both Ishvala's and Reis's. Is that why you are named Iris, Ishvala's favorite flower?" She smiled. The two of them continued to compare the two religions as Annette dozed off in Ira's arms.

The next few weeks, whenever Angel left without Iris (Which was becoming a frequent thing) Ira and Iris would discuss alchemy, alkehestry, and whatever Ira happened to be studying. He enjoyed talking to Iris about his studies because she was not biased towards alchemy. In fact, she knew little of it. Some ideas from alkehestry were familiar to her, but alchemy and alchemists were completely new. With her ever present curiosity, Iris drank up everything Ira said thirstily. They never studied past around eight at night. Angel often came back around nine. Neither of them wanted to be seen by Angel.

A normal morning of Angel leaving early was interrupted. Iris grasped Angel's hand as he walked past. He stood motionless next to her. Not even responding to her touch, he pulled his hand away and walked out the door. Antalya stood to go after him but was stopped by her husband. Calm as ever Delvan shook his head and returned to eating. Iris's eyes misted over as she continued her breakfast. Her child sat spouting random baby gibberish in her lap. Four eyes (A/U: Six if you count Ira's glasses XD Lame joke! I wear glasses, don't be offended) zeroed in on hers and began to mist up as well. She saw Ira and Antalya and shook her head. Iris was fighting back the tears. This wasn't worth crying over. She would NOT cry. She wouldn't cry.

She cried.

Antalya and Ira simultaneously jumped up to quell her tears. "Stop." Delvan spoke up in his deep baritone voice. A man of few words, Delvan only spoke when he deemed it necessary. His calm, cool demeanor of water contrasted greatly with his fiery wife.

"What do you mean, stop! This poor girl is crying and _your _son started it! This poor girl has been through enough-" She was cut off by her husband's voice.

"She does not need your pity. She doesn't _want _your pity," Delvan said, not looking up from his breakfast.

Ira looked to Iris for confirmation. "Is this true?" She nodded. "I am sorry. We both are. I'm sure you just want to be treated like a normal girl." Iris smiled. He was exactly right. They finished their breakfast, Delvan and Iris sharing an amicable silence.

The sun was almost unbearably harsh in the desert even in the early hours. This created the best place to train the body and the soul. If Angel had went out on his desert trial like he was supposed to, he would have endured this unforgiving desert's traps and taunts for a full year. There was an oasis of sorts many miles from town where the prospective warrior monks would go to stay. The term 'oasis' is used loosely here. This particular 'oasis' was a pile of rocks that water and little vegetation poked through. Angel headed out to the pile of rocks each day to train. This was what he was supposed to be doing. Training was all he knew how to do. The sweat covered body of a truly devout Ishvalan man hoisted itself up on the rocks. At least, he wished he was as devout as he used to think he was. Now he was not so sure he was ready to spend his life serving the church. Never would he marry or raise a family of his own. Angel shook his head free of those thoughts. That was why he came out here each day. The heat, the pain, the intense burn of his rigorous training regime cut out any other thoughts. Today it was not working. The girl always seemed to claw her way back to the top of his mind and claim her throne, no matter how many times he knocked her down. She was all he could think about. Her hand had been so soft in his, pleading for his presence in her life. Why did she need him so? Why did he need her? His life was supposed to be dedicated to one woman only. Ishvala. So why was this girl so easily destroying his thoughts of becoming a warrior monk? Being a warrior monk was all he had ever planned on. It was all he was sure of, all he knew how to do. Now, his secure thoughts of his future were shattered.

No matter how much he blamed her for the dilemma he was fighting with, Angel knew he had been harsh to Iris. His actions this morning were horrible and his conscience would not allow him to forget. Perhaps he would make it up to her. Sighing, Angel knew he was trapped by her once again, carrying her throne on his back. In layman's terms, she had him whipped.

Walking back across the desert in the sweltering heat was less than enjoyable but Angel needed to get home fast. The quicker he rectified this problem, the quicker his new life would begin. Angel had the thought of taking Iris to the market. That wouldn't work. It would only make her nervous. Maybe he could bring her and Annette out to eat? There were a few eateries in town that were open even during the day (Lunch was traditionally a big family event at home. Men would return from work to rest from the midday sun). That was a good idea. They would be somewhere shaded for their fair skin, it might be crowded but they would be sitting at their own table, and the baby could come along and enjoy the treat. Resolving that he would bring the two out to eat, Angel set forth with great determination.

Ira ran into the kitchen excitedly, carrying a package in his arms. With great care he laid the paper wrapped package onto the table in front of Iris. "Ah, I was hoping it had come!" Ira ripped away the thin paper like a child opening a Christmas present. "This is the book I ordered from the Xingese merchant on alkehestry!" Iris slapped him backside the head. "Ow, what on earth-!" She smacked him again and pointed at the sleeping baby resting in a pile of pillows and blankets on the floor. "Oh. Sorry," He whispered. "Anyways, I've been waiting for this for a while. Alkehestry is fascinating because it is so much like alchemy, and yet so very different. You seem to be better at reading Xingese than me, so I was hoping we could go over this together." Iris smiled and nodded.

Angel walked through the market on his way home. His feet carried him as fast as the crowd would allow. That is, until a he heard a vendor nearby calling out his wears. "Fine jewelry, gold, silver, all manner of gem! Low prices, come and see this lovely jewelry for sale cheap!" Surveying the booth, the vendor walked up to him with a devilish grin. "Ah, I can see it in your eyes. A love struck man, I've seen that look before, yes. Tell me, what is it that your girl fancies? See anything she might enjoy?" Angel ignored the man; he knew his game was to get Angel to buy as much as he could afford and then some. He simply stared at the necklaces laid out before him until one jumped out at him.

Pulling out his money pouch, Angel pointed at the golden necklace. "How much is this piece?" The merchant's grin grew.

"Ah, you have chosen a beautiful necklace, I'm sure your woman will be pleased. But…" The man readied his best attack. "How pleased will she be when she sees another man giving his lady a necklace AND a matching ring?" Angel was about to answer when the merchant charged on. "None too pleased, I'm sure. You should get the ring that goes with that necklace to be safe. HOWEVER… "The man pressed on despite the anger growing on Angel's face. "I'm assuming this woman means a great deal to you? You love her, correct? And doesn't the woman you love, the most important person in the world to you, deserve matching earrings? I'd think so. I know that for mine and my wife's anniversary I didn't buy her just one piece of fine china. That would be ridiculous! Imagine me coming home with a beautiful cup and none to match! No plates to serve the food on! No.."

"I'll take the necklace AND the ring AND the earrings!" Angel shoved his entire money pouch at the man and stormed off with his purchases. The vendor counted his money as he chuckled and prepared to bait the hook to catch another "fish".

Ira and his new friend sat at the table translating the Xingese book when the door opened. It was too early for Delvan to be done with work. Angel came in and began to ask Iris out to lunch with him when he saw his brother and his research at the table. With Iris. His face became blank. His breathing was slow and harsh. He balled his fists tightly with no regard to the extremely over priced gifts in his hands. With a shout of anger, Angel threw down the jewelry and stormed out. The door slammed behind him so forcefully it just about came off. Annette began crying in her makeshift bed, awoken by the sound. Iris picked up her child and rocked her slowly. The babe was still tired from playing with her mother earlier and quickly fell back asleep. It was Ira who stood from the table and picked up the jewelry. One earring was broken and the chain on the necklace had snapped.

Ira placed the broken pieces in front of Iris. A golden heart shaped locket engraved with and iris fell from the broken chain. "I'm assuming these are for you." Iris stared down at the locket. Trying to ease the tension, Ira said, "Certainly aren't for me, are they?" The girl gave a meek smile. Not sure of what to do but deciding something was better than nothing, Iris laid the baby back down. She pointed from Ira to the baby. When he nodded, she raced out of the house, intent on finding the man who had tried to give her the only gift she had ever received.

000

Angel was furious. Had he just seen what he thought he saw? His brother was tainting innocent Iris with his lies and treachery. Angel had thought something was redeemable in his brother, that this thing with alchemy was just a misstep, but clearly he was wrong. His big brother had abandoned the church and abandoned him. Now, so had Iris. Angel knew he had been distant with Iris recently, but how could she turn to his brother and his lies? Iris knew of the bans against alchemy in Ishval. She knew it went against everything he believed in yet she still gave in to the temptation. Was his brother really more likeable than he? Shaking thoughts of jealousy out of his head, Angel looked at his surroundings. He was in the desert. Of course. This was where he always went to cool down, which was ironic considering the immense heat. Still the haze of the heat and the lack of people was perfect for him. Angel had never considered himself a people person. This way, he wouldn't accidentally hurt someone in his anger. But…..

Wasn't that what he had just done? He had just hurt Iris. Again.

White hair flying behind her, Iris sped past person after person in an attempt to find him. The Angel that had saved her life, who had been her first friend, who had given her her first gift, who had been the first person to ever give a damn about her. Memories flashed through her head from her past. She had buried the deep in her mind but they were now coming out full force. _A young girl, ripped from her screaming mothers arms. The five year old didn't know what was going on. All she knew was that her daddy was laying on the ground just staring at the ceiling and her mommy was crying. Men in uniforms looked into her eyes and pointed at her. "She's the one." "This is it." "Here's the girl we've been looking for." They kept talking about her and pointing. Pointing wasn't polite, her mommy had told her that. But she got the feeling they didn't care about being nice. They had taken her from her family, they had set fire to her home. Riding up the hill on a horse, the child saw that the entire village she called home was on fire. Flames danced through the streets to the sound of the villager's screams. She cried. She cried the entire way to their destination, she cried for three days after they got there. She even cried when they presented her in front of the two scary looking men. One was dressed in jewels and silk robes with jet black hair and eyes to match. The other was dressed more sensibly, a young man in a suit and glasses with curly strawberry blond hair. His eyes were shining with delight as he surveyed young Iris's crying form. It made her skin crawl. Even so, she continued to cry. The glasses man knelt down before her as the other man talked to her captor. He asked, "Why are you crying, darling?" _

_She replied, "If I cry enough, maybe my crying will put out the fire that's burning my house down." The man smiled, brushing the tears off of her face._

"_You don't need to worry about that place anymore. You're never going back there again. This is your home now." The little girl didn't like this man and she certainly didn't like what he was telling her. She cried even more. "Hush, now. There's no need to cry. It must be scary in this new place with these new faces. I'll start the introductions," He said, extending his hand. "I am Parsifal, Royal Vizier of Tressia. And you, milady?" _

"_I'm…"_

_He interrupted her. "You are Iris." She began to shake her head and tell him he was wrong, but he just got up and left her there on the floor. Iris, as he called her, didn't know what to do._

Iris couldn't stop thinking about her past even when she realized she was hopelessly lost. Her name was not Iris. That was just the name that man had given her. She had always known that. Still, she could not for the life of her remember her real name. That didn't matter to her anymore. A name was just a name. Her family in the past had called her by this name so it held no value to her anymore. They were gone and so was that name. Now, the important people in her life knew her as Iris. That's all that mattered now.

Because she only knew two or three streets in this decently sized town, Iris was thankful to find a familiar sight: the desert. From what she could tell, this was where Angel had saved her and Annette. Then again, it was hard to tell. Sand was sand and it was everywhere. She looked out at the desert with silent admiration. The endless landscape was blemished by a large figure. Angel. He stood admiring the same scene in the same trance. As Iris stepped closer to him, he did not turn or even acknowledge her presence. He just stared. The fiery red in his eyes was watered down with silent tears.

Iris wrapped her arms around Angel from behind. He jumped and turned around in her arms. She had her face buried in his chest, afraid to look up and see anger or judgment in his eyes. He forced her face up to look up at his. No anger, no judgment. Just worry.

"What are you doing here?" Iris just looked at him with tears welling in her eyes. "Do not cry. You did nothing wrong." She watched him tears flowing from her rainbow eyes. Right now, they seemed to hold more of a sorrowful blue than anything. He wiped the tears from her face. "You did nothing wrong." She smiled. She slowly stood on her toes. He slowly leaned down to meet her. It was just a brief, light kiss but it took the breath out of both of them.

000

Well then. Sorry this one took so long but it is my longest chapter yet. I've been working a lot and have had technical difficulties with my computer L Time is going to pass now to a week or so before the war. The guts gotta start pouring out some time! I'm going to start some short stories of fluff and back story that happens during the next few years. Check It out some time, it should be started before the war J

Thanx to axrose for the review. More are welcome! Eternal thanks to Funsized Killjoy and Nic Oakes, my two best fanfic friends J


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